I don't know about you, but it's almost New Year's Eve (where did 2011 go?) and all I can think about beauty-wise is glitter. Lots and lots of glitter!

Glitter for the eyes (still undecided if I'm going for Sephora or Chanel eyeshadows tomorrow night) and glitter for the nails, naturally. And because a little glitter top coat inspiration might come in handy before we ring in 2012, I thought I'd share with you my small contribution to the matter:

From left to right, we have:1. Shu Uemura Glitter, the most "Gaga" of the bunch, thanks to its mega- and micro- holographic glitter particles,2. OPI Glitter Bit of Music, a subtle gold microglitter top coat,3. Nubar 2010, which despite its name is so not last years' news and adds a gorgeous multidimensional layer of red, gold and green iridescent flakes to your nails (dupes include Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure and the more recent Essie Shine of the Times), and4. Maybelline Flash Cosmic, a blue/teal iridescent duochrome flakie in a clear base (kind thanks to LionLovingTiger for this one).

The swatches are in the same order:

Sadly, I could not get these to photograph as crisp and true-to-life as I'd like (perhaps I should add "get yourself a DSLR" to my resolutions for the new year), but hopefully you got a rough idea. I'd strongly recommend anyone interested in the two flakie ones to look for a few more images of them online.
PS: The base I used is Essie Material Girl, probably not the most fortunate of choices.

So, did I whet your appetite for some glittery nails for tomorrow night? :)

I have a confession to make: I ate too much too turkey this Christmas. And some fatty ribs a couple of nights before that. And plenty of chocolate. Needless to say, my face has looked better; I'm now left to battle a couple of small breakouts on my chin and forehead.

And this is where a...nappy rash cream comes in!

Now, I'm sure that most of you are no strangers to using Sudocrem as an acne/breakout treatment. There are plenty of ways to use it, however my preferred method includes slathering the white paste on my breakouts, as well as my inflamed areas and leave it overnight. The next morning, I wash it off to reveal a calmer face, with pimples that are disctinctly dried down. Please take note that this style of application can be on the drying side, so I wouldn't advise it as a daily routine treatment.

Sudocrem however wasn't all that praised for its packaging up until a few months ago. The old jar container wasn't ideal to travel with, not to mention that dipping your fingers in the product could be quite unhygienic. That was until they repackaged it: the new 30g tubes are much safer to carry around and travel with.

The formula, as far as I can tell, is the same: I didn't notice any difference upon comparison and the classic lavender scent is the same. The only thing I could pick up from an ingredients' list comparison, was the absence of sodium benzoate (used as a preservative) in the new packaging.

And now to the exciting part:

With the help of Sudocrem, I'm hosting a little giveaway for 3 of these new tubes. Please pay close attention to the rules below:

For an eligible entry, you need to:

1. Be a follower or a subscriber of my blog, or a fan of my facebook page.

2. You need to state in the comment section which platform you're using to follow my blog (GFC, bloglovin, feedburner, facebook) and also if you have different usernames on those platforms.

3. You need to include your contact info in case you win.

Comment entries that fail to include any of those will be deleted upon moderation. The giveaway will be open worldwide until January, 6th, 12pm Eastern European Time and the winners will be chosen via random.org.

Good luck to all! :)

If you're familiar with Sudocrem, what's your application style like? How often do you use it?

Hello everyone! Hope you all had a lovely Christmas with plenty of food and wonderful presents! :)

It's been a while since I've done one of these "favourites" posts, so I figured it was about time to show you a few recent regulars of my daily beauty routine:

Let's take a closer look:

1. Sephora by OPI - Metro Chic. The most popular muddy taupe shade (and the one that started the trend), Metro Chic has been my nail polish of choice for the past few months. I'm nore than halfway through it and it's still a nice one to work with: it hasn't gone too gloopy and it delivers an opaque finish after 2 coats.

2. Physicians Formula "Baked Sands" Trio. This was a tough one to hunt down online, and with good reason, since it's a very flattering neutral palette. As you can see from the swatches below, the colours are nicely pigmented and ideal for fall. I can see this working for a large variety of skintones, from the very fair to the darker medium ones. Great value for money too (as it seems to be the case with many PF products).

3. Peggy Sage lipgloss - "Shiny Praline". Another fall colour choice of mine (can you see the autumnal leaves palette I was trying to recreate?), Shiny Praline is a chocolate rose shade with a creme finish. Being not too familiar with this brand (thank you Blushingloves), I'm happy to share that their lipglosses aren't sticky at all. I would have preferred it though if the formula was a bit thicker and not as watery.

4. Luminess Air "Boost-it!" complexion enhancer. I came across this product completely by accident: it was an extra thrown in in a MUA swap. Despite having not heard of its existence before, the description intrigued me: "a complexion enhancer that instantly tightens and brightens the appearance of skin". And it does exactly that: I apply it prior to my foundation (as recommended - I found that mixing it with the foundation doesn't deliver quite the same results) and it gives a lovely subtle glow to my complexion. This was extremely hard to photograph and I'm afraid that the swatch gives the wrongful impression of a more frosted finish. I've been looking for a liquid illuminator for a while now and this one definitely covers my needs. If you're familiar with this product pls drop me a comment below, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

5. The Body Shop Coconut Oil Hair Shine. The last product is a bit of a paradox: a favourite, that isn't really a favourite. I feel that this product is largely overhyped: I still fail to see if it nourishes my hair in the slightest bit. It is winter however, and my Hei Poa oils have gone solid, which means that warming them up to make them usable requires an effort - not happening when you're in a hurry. So, this has been the next best choice when you just need a little something to keep your hair in check after a blow-out. It's a nice alternative to those silicone drops (the extended use of which actually dries your hair out even more), but by no means expect any miraculous results from it.

So, those were the products lurking inside my makeup bag recently.

Any ones you've tried yourselves? What are you currently using on a daily basis? (PS: Stay tuned for an upcoming giveaway! ;) )

As promised a few posts back, this one will be a review of a cleanser by Kiehl's, namely from their "Ultra Facial Oil-Free" range.

I've been meaning to post this a lot sooner, but, in this case, being behind actually proved to be beneficial: I was able to test how this cleanser performed in pretty much every weather condition you can think of.My verdict: score!!! Allow me to justify:The first time I used this was a few months back, in fact it was right after a summer heatwave. I must say, I wasn't wowed by it - my skin was just starting to recover from the dry mess that my previous cleanser had created (horrendous L'oreal Perfect Clean) and the heat wasn't helping either. The first few uses left me with the impression that it was too drying for my skin - so I put it aside for a few weeks, in fear of further exacerbating my dryness. When I came back to it to give it a proper trial, I noticed that even a very small amount of its mousse-like formula would create a lather capable of removing the leftover makeup & dirt. This quantity, below, would in fact be considered too much:

Cutting back on the amount of product I squeezed out of the tube is how I made this cleanser work for me. I didn't feel my skin overly dry and haven't noticed any flakiness over the past few months, which to me is fairly new. In fact, I've cleansed my face with it a little over an hour ago before I sat down to write this and despite not using a moisturiser on my skin since, it doesn't feel tight at all.Mind you, my skintype is dry for the most part anyways, and it is winter after all. If this works for me, then I'm sure that it would definitely be a bigger hit with those with normal or oilier skintypes. A few more pros: it's sulfate/paraben/silicone/oil- and fragrance-free. Which means: hello new staple cleanser for me!Disclaimer: this product was sent to me for consideration of review. My thoughts and opinions on it are an honest reflection of my experience. I'd happily have paid for this item, and in fact plan do to so, once I run out.So, what's your favourite facial cleanser?Have you found the one to suit your skin's needs? Do you only use one all year long?

No excuses or apologies for my recent long hiatus from blogger; this time there were real reasons behind it, like, the important stuff.

Needless to say that reading and talking about beauty products got automatically moved to the bottom of my priorities' list... and things aren't stellar at the moment either, but at least I've thankfully passed the point of constant shaking.

I won't go into further detail, as it's really not my own personal detail to openly share. However, I really need to thank some close friends on Twitter for their support: Suka And Spice, Arietta, CBSG5861, Tali, Blushingloves, and Never_e_gloss, as well as those who put a smile on my face by remembering me in their #followfriday's. Thank you guys, you helped calm me down more than you know.

So, on to the exciting stuff!!!!

The winner of my giveaway is....

...peggyilia!!!

Congratulations girl! The Sweet Lemon Body Butter and a Korres eyeshadow of your choice will be shipped to you just as soon as we sort the details! :)

To those of you that didn't win, don't worry, there will be at least one more giveaway on here before Christmas, so keep your eyes peeled! ;)

The title says it all: there's a little bit of everything thrown in this post - hopefully though all of it will speak to your inner beauty junkie, so I might as well get to it!

The exciting things first: the giveaway(s)!!!

This time it's a small one, in celebration of my birthday (that was already a couple of weeks ago, so no wishes neccessary - I've just been very behind with posts):

The winner will receive:

- a full sized Sweet Lemon Body Butter from The Body Shop, and

- a Korres eyeshadow of their own choice.

The rules are simple:

1. You must be a non anonymous/non private follower of my blog on GFC,

2. You must state in your comment below that you'd like to be entered, and

3. You must include your email, so that I can contact you if you win.

Simple as that!

I'll ship worldwide and the winner will be selected via random.org after the giveaway closes on Saturday, the 5th of November, 23:59 pm, GMT. Good luck to everyone!!!

Now, on my last giveaway, I didn't ask for your contact info, which is why the lovely necklace remained unclaimed: Sabrielle never contacted me to receive it, but seeing as it's been quite a long time now, I feel I should pick another winner!

The new winner is....

.....Endre!!!! Congratulations girl!!! :)

I'll contact you myself this time too, hope I hear back from you in the next week (if not, I'm afraid I'll have to pick someone else again)!

Ok, on to the news section of the post: have you guys checked out the new Autumn 2011 edition of Makeup4All Online Beauty Magazine?

If not, then I suggest you click HERE and do so straight away!!! Marina from Makeup4All has outdone herself again and this issue is everything you expect and more: you'll find interviews from renowned professionals of the beauty industry, you'll get the chance to learn more about what's on the minds of your favourite beauty bloggers (...I'm in there somewhere too, if anyone would care to read), and, of course, you'll learn all about the new collections and products for the season!!!

If anything, it will inspire you to compile your Holiday wishlists at the very least!

Guess who lost their blogging mojo lately... yep, that would be me - but I can assure you ladies that this blogger is back in full swing, and attending events while she's at it!!!

So, last night Kiehl's put together a lovely event at Hondos Center in Glifada, launching their new "Save the Donkeys" campaign! Kiehl's is a brand, that's quite well known for their humanitarian and eco-friendly initiatives in the countries that they are active in and this event was a prime example. Along with ΕΣΠΙ (Hellenic Society for Equine Welfare), they are raising awareness of the abuse that these lovely creatures are often subject to in our country.

A beauty brand for a good cause? No reason not to attend, right?

Especially when I learned that two lovely fellow bloggers, Evi from CBSG5861 and Arietta from Stripes and Scarlets were also going to attend! :)

The event was really fun, the girls and I strolled around, joked about the event model, Mr. Skeleton (who's wearing a t-shirt designed by Orsalia Parthenis for the event - Deux Hommes also contributed their designs) and... hit the buffet, where there were tasty carrot-based "Donkita" cocktails and carrot cupcakes to be had!

From a beauty bloggers' point of view... omg, it wasn't far from heaven: we learned about a ton of products, had the chance to try them on and even left with a couple of custom-chosen samples; all thanks to Giota, who was more than willing to help us out and answer all of our questions!!! I can now say that I left even more intrigued by this brand, seeing what goes into their products and familiarising myself with their philosophy.

Me and Evi in front of what should be our...natural habitat!

Me, Arietta and Evi.

Before I close this, let me mention a couple of words about the cause. Donkeys and small horses have long taken part in our agricultural history as patient animals, more than helpful in everyday life. Nowadays, their population has drastically decreased, and often the remaining animals are destined to be killed for their meat or abused in a number of tourist attractions. It's important to put a stop to this abuse and care for their living conditions. If you'd like to learn about ways you can help, you can visit EΣΠΙ's site: www.greekhorseprotection.gr.

All in all, we had a wonderful time!!! For more pics and celebrity sightings, as well as our...OOTD's, you can check out Patricia's blog, Fashion &Art, as well as Evi's and Arietta's posts!!!

***A huge thank you to Arietta for kindly sharing her pics with us, I really appreciate that doll!

Admit it! You too are guilty of the spontaneous accessory shopping spree, right? And why wouldn't you be, especially when that's in the form of affordable jewellery!

Well, as you can see, I should be found guilty on multiple occassions. But I can't help it. In the words of Miranda, cynic extraordinaire: "I love it. It's my thing. Let it go".

And what have I been shopping? Well, knowing me, there had to be some of the usual boho oriented bits&bobs:

Accessorize multicoloured bracelet. I found this one on sale and it was the closest I came this summer to the bright (call me neon) bracelet trend. Works well as an accent on simpler looks!

House of Harlow 1960 14ct yellow gold plated thin bangle. My very first HoH piece (and most certainly not the last)! It's wonderful on its own or paired with other bracelets! I'll surely get a lot of wear out of this!

Decenarios rosary bracelets. I got these on ebay, for dirt-cheap. These rosary bracelets have been quite a big trend over the past year and are used as good luck charms. Naturally, as a closeted superstitious person, I had to indulge!

But this time around, I decided to make a couple of more glamorous and elegant purchases too:

Beaded bracelets from a local accessories shop. Their light reflecting properties is what caught my attention! I love that they look a lot more expensive than they are (2 euros each! Shhhhh!) - hey, maybe Accessorize can take a few notes as far as pricing goes!

However overpriced Accessorize is though, I do like their sterling silver line and that's where this crystal encrusted ring is from (big yay for rings that don't turn your fingers blue)!

Lastly, 3 little pairs of simple crystal stud earrings. I'll be getting another pair of earlobe piercings soon, and I wanted the 3 different sized studs. Again, from a local accessories shop (these are sterling silver too).

So, autumn is officially here, and what better excuse than a new season to turn the focus to skincare, right? :)

Now, I'm sure that I'm not alone in this: I bet many of you are exploring your options and making adjustments to your skincare routines in an effort to prep your skin for the colder months! Well, if that's the case, we can do so together - the upcoming 2-3 weeks on here will be mostly skincare based, so if you're a skincare junkie, tune in for my reviews and ramblings!

Yes, from what you can tell, things have become a little more complicated since my last skincare post, partly due to my curiosity for new products and partly due to some neccessary changes that had to be made.

But, before I get on with the breakdown, let me just remind you that my skintype is combination meets acne prone meets slightly sensitive and that this is what works for me for the time being.

Like last time, I'll start off with cleansing:

- I still rely on MAC Cleanse Off Oil to remove my makeup for the day. It works wonders and removes the slap without a lot of effort. It's truly an amazing product that I rarely go without (I part with it only when I'm traveling, in which case makeup remover wipes take its place).

- I also still use the Garnier Essentials Eye Makeup Remover for my eyes, but I feel it's not cutting for me no more: I do appreciate that it's gentle to my eyes and that it doesn't leave an oily film afterwards, but I wish it did a better job at actually removing those persistent mascara layers! I'll definitely be looking into other eye makeup removers from now on!

- After most of the makeup has been removed, I'll complete the cleansing phase with Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil Free Cleanser. This is fairly new to my routine and an extremely pleasant surprise! It really removes the remaining impurities and oiliness, without being too harsh or too drying! Expect a review soon, as it deserves an entry of its own!

- Whenever I feel that my skin needs an extra polish and while being inbetween scrubbing sessions, I'll use this Clinique face brush combined with my cleanser and dare I say, I think it works just as well, if not better! Probably something to do with the fact that it stimulates my skin, on top of gently removing the dead cells! I found this as a part of an old GWP bag that my mum had completely forgotten and decided to put it to good use.

As for my daytime routine, it's quite simple:

- I prep my skin with the Lancaster 365 Cellular Elixir serum first. I only use 3 small pumps for my whole face, since it's very liquidy. I know I was initially let down by it, but that's because I was probably using it for the wrong reasons: while it doesn't really remove any fine lines (and if it does, it's only minimal and takes numerous weeks to do so), it helps quite a lot with blemishes and uneveness (in conjuction to the Effaclar Duo I use at nighttime). I mostly use this as an extra protective layer against the daily damage from the atmosphere.

- My moisturiser follows: the Malin + Goetz Vitamin E Face Moisturizer. Extremely happy with this one! I know it's not my trusted YSL Hydra Feel, but it's pretty darn close - minus the plumping abilities. It still moisturises effectively for a long period of time, it absorbs quickly and it doesn't interfere with foundation application. In fact, it's probably superior to the YSL one, in that it's over double the amount for half the money!!!

- The Effaclar Duo Anti Imperfection treatment is a staple. I apply it on current breakouts or fading ones, depending on my needs. I need to say though, that it's the combination of this product with the Lancaster serum that I find tackles the breakouts quickly and effectively. On its own, I wasn't all that wowed!

- Then, I use the Korres Quercetin & Oak Night Cream. I love this product and it actually delivers its anti-wrinkling claims. I don't use it every single night though, for fear of it being too heavy on my skin. It's more of an every 2 nights thing, or whenever I feel I need sth more than my Malin+Goetz moisturiser.

- As for the eyes, I'm about to finish the Garnier Eye Roll On. The only thing I'm convinced it does, is battle the puffiness and that alone. However, I need sth for my dark circles too and this is definitely not it! Yet another aspect of my skincare that needs looking into!

As far as weekly treatments go, such as masks, scrubs etc, I'll explore them on a future post. I wanted to focus on the core of my skincare on this one. As you can see, I've made a few changes since a few months ago, and while it seems more complicated, I feel it's more of a well-rounded routine right now, something not so easy for someone like me that has to deal with acne issues, as well as protective and anti-ageing aspects!

But if I've understood a couple of things so far, it's that you have to:

a. look for products that you can layer on top of each other (allowing each layer to absorb in order to get the most of its ingredients each time of course), and

b. adjust quickly to your skin's needs: you don't have to follow the same exact routine every day and every night. Maybe you need to skip a step if you're too oily or add a step if you're too dry or you're breaking out more! Don't be afraid to mix things up!

The necklace that I'm wearing is a beautiful design by Peggy -a very talented girl that makes her own jewellery, that I rarely take off these days! I really enjoy wearing it on its own, as well as layered with other necklaces: the simple crystal type pendant matches any style and outfit!

And now for the exciting part of the post: the giveaway!!!

For a chance to win this lovely *Jewels* by Peggy necklace, here's what you have to do:

Cue music: "Guess who's back... back again..."!Ok, I'm not going to.. direct this entry any further, you get the picture!

After a pretty full and relaxing summer month, it's time for me to report back!

And where better to start than to share with you this past month's beauty essentials?

1. Neal's Yard Frankincense Hydrating Facial Mist.You know me, I cannot resist a good facial water spray! And this is probably the best I've ever tried: it's extremely refreshing and hydrating and the effect does last for quite a while! Apart from being an excellent toner, it also contains essential oils and herbal extracts with anti-oxidant and collagen stimulating properties (score!) For all you vegans out there, this is definitely one to check out (it's made with 98% organic ingredients), but beware of its rather strong scent (it fades quickly though, but be warned).

2. Bourjois blush in 03 Brun Cuivre.Featured in one of my recent hauls, this has been a go-to product ever since! It compliments a variety of looks really well and blends with my bronzer flawlessly, giving a lovely bronzey effect, without being over the top!

3. NARS Kitty eyeliner pencil.A great eyeliner to work with, applies super easily and gives the most gorgeous bright blue accent when used! I use it on my waterline whenever I'm in the mood for some colour, and it looks pretty even against my greyish/green eyes - no doubt, it would work wonders for those of you with blue or brown eyes!

4. Essie Van D' Go.You can see swatches of it a couple of posts below. Yes, its a lovely colour, but the application is so streaky, it can drive you insane! The sole reason it's featured on this list, is because I've been using this almost exclusively this month, in an effort to try and finish it (hopefully I won't have to deal with it for more than another 2-3 weeks)!

5. Smashbox Pout lipgloss.Probably the most popular Smashbox lipgloss shade, Pout is a pale, cool-toned (leaning blue that is) pink creme, with o% stickiness! Lovely with a smokey eye, but it's definitely more versatile than that! Been using it this past month for almost all of my evenings out!

What about my summer you may ask?Well, here's the condensed version, in "in's & out's" form:

2. Being able to blog with my new Toshiba, as the old (well, not so old really) Vaio died it's... true death.3. Enjoying my short summer vacations and soaking up as much sun as I could!

Out's1. Being the basic meal for mosquitos everywhere. Who here counted 10 new bites a night? That would be me.2. Getting rid of all my YSL Rouge Volupte's. The slippery feeling just wasn't doing it for me anymore.3. Dealing with uninformed and rude sales' assistants. I got told they didn't carry a specific product when it was in public display one floor above!

So, how have you guys been?How has your summer been, makeup or general wise? :)

As promised from a few posts ago, I'll be sharing with you my thoughts on a couple of skincare itemss that I purchased fairly recently, both from Dr. Hauschka.

If you're not familiar with this brand yet, let me just outline the basics for you: Dr. Hauschka is a German brand, that creates skincare products, which aim to nurture the skin and bring balance to specific skin conditions (or skintypes), while ensuring that their methods are environmentally friendly. What's striking to me, is that this brand actually grows plants to later use their ingredients in their products, meaning that their "holistic approach" claims are actually well-founded.

The products that I was mostly curious about lately were their body oils, and taking advantage of a recent "buy one, get one as a gift" promo from Beautyworks (a greek online store, details in a sec), I decided it was time to pick one.

I opted for the Dr Hauschka Almond St. John'swort Body Oil, one that's suited to dry and sensitive skin, like my own.

This is a "dry" body oil, that absorbs easily into the skin, leaving it silky and supple. You only need a few drops of this to cover a larger area, so don't go overboard. I enjoy that it leaves my skin moisturised for many hours, without any annoying greasiness. I also love that it really calms my skin down, now I don't suffer from eczema, but if my skin gets itchy or irritated for any reason, this product does sooth it instantly. What I could have done without, is the scent: while I initially liked the bitter almond part, everyone around me seemed to hate it for being too.."oily", and after repeated use, I can see where they're coming from.

The second product-slash-gift that came with my order was the Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Clay Mask. What that is, is basically a jar of clay in powder form. You prepare the mask yourself by mixing it with water to a creamy consistency. What you end up with, is actually...mud and once you've applied it, it looks like you fell flat on your face into a mud pile after the rain: same color, same scent. When you rinse it off though, you're left with soft, clean skin. The feeling is kind of hard to explain, it's unlike any other mask or cleanser I've ever tried. More like a cleansing treatment if that makes sense. It contains witch hazel and Indian cress, and claims to exfoliate the skin and reduce the appearance of blackheads and blemishes, but I can't say that I noticed any of that - the skin though does feel nurtured, clean and smooth afterwards.

All in all, I'm very pleased with both items and will be repurchasing. Well, the body oil, I'll try it in a different scent and the clay mask, while it's not a must-have item (more like a special pampering product), I enjoyed using it and would like to see if it benefits my skin some more over time.

Beautyworks online shopping experience

As pleased as I was though with my items, I cannot say the same for the store from which I purchased them. For starters, I asked if I could pick the gift product myself, an email which never got replied, either with a yes or a no. The product I was sent was completely their choice, but the annoying part is that they sent me an item they were trying to get rid of: the clay mask expires in August, as in 2 months after I placed the order!!!

Now, I'd like to believe that an online store that takes pride in being a niche product retailer, would actually know better than to leave emails unanswered and to just push leftover stock, but apparently that is wishful thinking.

They did however send a crapload of samples to make it up (for everything else?), which was generous, but not exactly the service I was looking for:

And to close this post on a different note, let me just share with you my small beauty haul. I'll be off for a few days on a beach vacation soon and I needed a couple of stuff:

My first encounter with a glass nail file occured a little while back: I was perusing the nail product isles in one of my frequent beauty shopping trips and I spotted some mini Bourjois glass nail files sitting in a corner.

I figured Bourjois is a respectable brand, so, naturally, I picked one, only to find out that I had made one of the worst beauty purchases ever: the nail file lost the roughness of its filing surfaces after only 3 (!) uses. I threw it to the bin and swore off glass nail files there and then.

But when a Czech company called Mont Bleu contacted me to review their glass nail files, I thought I'd give them another chance - I was still curious as to why so many people were recommending glass nail files instead of the regular emery ones, on twitter and other beauty sites. Perhaps they knew something I didn't?

Apparently they did, because after a few weeks of testing out this product, I only have the best things to say about it!

For starters, the filing surfaces have remained intact after all this time - I inspect them closely after each use, but they're still as good as new! It's biggest advantage though is how gentle it is to my nail: the filing is sharp and precise and the tip of the nail feels a lot stronger afterwards in comparison to a classic emery board. I've also noticed that it benefits my brittlest nails too, since the peeling hasn't progressed any further as it normally would! Score!

Yep, this little item is a regular in my nailcare routine and I'd be mildly devastated if I dropped it or mishandled it in any way (the site claims that they're almost unbreakable, but I wouldn't wanna find out regardless)!

But I wouldn't be doing it justice if I didn't talk about its lovely design, now, would I?

I'm sure you've noticed the beautiful Swarovski detailing on one end: it screams "luxury"! The design of my file is the W-M no. 5 but if you take a look through their online store, I'm sure you'll spot many designs to suit your taste!

What's more, Mont Bleu states that the polishing surfaces have a life-long guarantee, without you having to take any special care of them: you can clean them by washing them, putting them under a uv lamp, even boiling them!

Overall impression?

A beautiful product of excellent quality, what more can you ask for? It would make a lovely little present too imo, since I don't think Swarovski encrusted nail files are that easy to come by!

So, have you tried glass nail files yet and what do you think of them? :)

If you follow the...lipstick news quite closely, you've probably heard by now that sheer and lightweight formulas are all the rage this summer.Most likely, many of you own at least one of those lipsticks already, as pretty much every brand out there released their version of this shiny tinted lip-balm formula!

And since lip-balms and lipsticks are the only lip products I'm allowing myself to purchase this year (yep, still going strong on gloss-out people), I, naturally, had to check out what all the fuss was about, right?

So, what started out as a test in the name of blog research, ended in me becoming quite the full-blown sheer lippie convert-who would have thought!

This may seem like a lot to some, but believe me when I say I'd buy more if I could!

Let's take a closer look:

The Dior Addict lipsticks are among the most popular representatives of this trend (along with the Chanel Rouge Coco Shines, which I, sadly, didn't have the pleasure to test out yet). They go on very smoothly and feel lightweight and moisturising - very similar to a lip balm. They also add a nice shiny finish to the lips.I did find, however, that the pigmentation and texture varies:- 333 Nude, a peachy beige-ish brown, goes on more opaque and reminded me of the Becca Sheer Lip Tints, whereas- 249 Diorissime, a light wash of baby pink, is a bit more sheer and has the tiniest silver glitter.They're both beautiful, nonetheless, and that clear-meets-holographic packaging is phenomenal! My only complaint: L.A. and Miami, the two other shades I'm after seem to not have reached this side of the world (hello Greek Dior, wake up pls)!

The little sheer family is completed with:

- Sephora Lip Attitude Glamour in G08 Lilac Lyric. The lovely Mona wore it in a video of hers and the purple goodness looked too pretty to pass on! It is a very cool-toned pinky purple by the way, so beware. Out of all the lipsticks in this post, this one stands out in more than one ways: it's the sheerest and the glossiest of them all. Actually, it's probably the glossiest lipstick that I own, the finish is almost wet-like (sadly that doesn't translate through the photo). It feels moisturising on the lips, too, and its affordable price makes me want to try a couple of the nude(r) shades as well!

- Korres Mango Butter lipstick in 13 Natural Pink. Natural Pink is exactly what the name suggests, a universally flattering shade of pink - probably a "nude" if you have a darker skintone.This held a surprise for me: it's marketed as a sheer lipstick, but I found that it was unexpectedly well-pigmented! It also gives a nice shiny finish to the lips, the texture however is thicker and creamier than the others. In fact, I could almost describe it as a bit slippery, which is less than desirable. On the plus side, this one is the only one with SPF.

- Lancome L'Absolu Nu in 302 Voile De Rose. 302 was a magazine freebie (yay for the high-end stuff) and to my knowledge it's a european only, berry-pink shade with a slight pearlescence.This stands out as well for a few reasons: it's on the pigmented side and feels creamy, however it's not as shiny as all the others in my opinion. It also claims to have a lightweight and translucent formula, but I can't say that I was convinced about either: it's more of a regular lipstick that gives a nice sheen, end of. The intense rosey scent is another thing to be aware of (grannyish would be a better word). All in all, a nice lipstick, yes, but completely mis-advertised in my opinion!

And there you have it, my little sheer experiment! Lancome gets a big miss from me, Korres a questionmark, while Sephora and Dior... will be looked into some more in the future! ;)

What's your experience with the sheer lipsticks so far? Anyone in particular that took your fancy?

It's been a while since I've done anything creative on here, so when I was sent these lashes from kkcenterhk, I figured it was about time to do so. I mean, these particular styles gave me no other choice but to show them to you in a very...specific way.

Namely, the...Twiggy way!

Please excuse the poor attempt at this iconic look, I fear that my makeup skills have become a wee bit rusty lately and this kind of makeup should probably be left to the pixiwoo's of the world, but I couldn't resist giving it a go myself. Ok, I guess it's not so much Twiggy after all, more like a drunk Kubrickian extra, but what can you do! :)

But enough about me, let's talk lashes!- The AK 612's come in a pack of 5 pairs and are in the "natural-looking" category. They add length and volume, without being over the top and I'm sure than noone would even guess that you're wearing falsies! They went on easily, although I did have to cut the clear band on both ends before application.

- The AK 681B's (or the Twiggy ones, as I'd like to call them) are bottom lashes and come in a pack of 5 as well. This time I did have to cut some lashes on one end in addition to the excess band, to fit my eyes properly. And even so, I must say I could feel the band pinching my skin on the inner corner, which makes me think that the band was too hard/not as elastic as it should be. But other than that, they're a good choice if you wish to create those signature 60's looks (or any doll-eyed looks for that matter)!

Overall impressions?The AK 612's are totally my style and I would purchase them when I run out, since they do give a lovely effect. As for the AK 681B's, I'm not so sure about them, perhaps if I couldn't find anything to suit the look I'd be going for, then I would, but I'd try to look for alternatives first.

On a random note, the eyeshadow that I used was MAC Surf USA from the Surf, Baby collection, one collection that hadn't caught my attention at first - now I already own 2 items and contemplating a third (would anyone care for an uber late Surf Baby haul?)!

That's all for now!Hope that your summer has started and that you're having a great time already (me...not so much, among finals, my broken laptop, and a health situation of a family member I cannot say that I have that high expectations for this summer...)!

What can I say, in the midst of the serious amount of exam stress that I've been dealing with lately, I guess I resorted to some beauty shopping to cheer me up (although knowing me, no excuses were necessary)!

And what have I been buying, you may ask..? Well, a little of this and a little of that, a few items that were sitting on my wishlist for too long and a couple of purchases of a more...spontaneous nature!

To be more specific:

1. Bourjois Rose Lounge (no 28) nail polish. Hey, if it's good for Kate Middleton on her big day (custom mixed with Essie's Allure bien sur), it's good enough for me. Plus, I'm on the hunt for my "holy grail" nude nail polish, and who knows maybe this is it.

2.Bourjois Delice De Poudre Bronzing Powder - No. 51. One that I've been dying to try for ages, but was never in stock here. So, with the help of my magic fairy, Ms LionLovingTiger, I finally got my hands on it. First impressions: yummy biscuity scent, but the pigmentation was a little underwhelming. I also fear this runs a bit on the orange side on me. We shall see how that goes.

3.Bourjois Blush in 03 Brun Cuivre. If you remember this fantabulous Lisa Eldridge video, well, that's one of the cheek products she used (now all I need are those killer cat-liner skills)!

4.Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Murano. One that has been on my wishlist ever since those were launched, and what better time to try out a cream blush than summer, right?

5.Erre Due Wet&Dry Sparkler for eyes - No. 427. Apologies to my international ladies, this is a Greek "drugstore" brand, and one that I often overlook. But this prettiful khaki with golden and pink shimmer particles and crazy pigmentation (especially since this is a mineralised item: domed look, made in Italy, etc) was way too gorgeous to pass on!

6+7. A couple of Dr.Hauschka items, purchases from an online store. Dr Hauschka is a skincare&bodycare based brand, with amazing ethos and I took the opportunity to give it a go. I haven't tested these thoroughly yet, so more details to come.

Here's some swatches of the cheek and eye products:

I mean, the Bourjois bronzer does look a bit orange, doesn't it?

So, what have you been buying lately? Skincare, bodycare or makeup?Put it all in the comment section below! :)

As perhaps some of you may already remember from older posts on here, my love for Rouge Bunny Rouge cosmetics is not a new thing.

And despite the fact that those little black containers are among the most treasured items in my makeup collection, I realise that I have not shown them the love they deserve, at least not on these pages!

So, let me present you with my little RBR family of eyeshadows and blushes, along with a brief commentary:

Let's start with the "When birds are singing" Long Lasting eyeshadows:

- Alabaster Starling is a gorgeous metallic white with a slight hint of pink. It's very light-reflecting and makes for a beautiful highlighting shade.

- Solstice Halcyon is a taupe-mauve shade. It looks matte in the photo, but it's more of a satin finish in real life, perfect basic color for any neutral or taupe lover!

- Bejewelled Skylark is a dark brown with copper reflections. Again, another beautiful shade, and along with Abyssinian Catbird, the two most pigmented of the bunch (btw here's an older post with a look of those two combined)!

The two eyeshadow duos on the RBR line are:

- A Major/fis minor, a very basic duo of two grown-up shimmery neutrals, and

- C Major/a minor, a seemingly unorthodox pairing of two cool toned shades, that somehow works in the end! Both shades are wonderful, but my personal favourite is the green one: half the times I see gold in it and others...teal, another brilliant execution!

And lastly, my two "For Love of Roses" Original Skin Blushes:

- Delicata, a beautiful neutral toned blush that I always rely on for special occassions, and

- Orpheline, a bright warm pink, that may look scary in the pot, but one that gives a lovely flush to the cheeks! By the way, don't let it scare you if you're pale - it does work on us too with a lighter hand!

And, in case I haven't sung the praises of their quality high enough, let me give you an idea of what to expect: very finely milled products, smooth and buttery, not at all powdery, long lasting, all in all a pleasure to apply and wear! The only downside that has obstructed me from purchasing some more (and yes, these were all bought by me) is the pricemark, but knowing their quality, to me it means that I'll just have to be a little more patient! ;)

I hope that this has been somewhat helpful, whether you've only just heard about the brand, or you're long acquainted with it!

So, have you tried anything RBR yet? Any particular shades of eyeshadows and blushes that you would recommend? :)